Trial, Part II. Intense dialogue, just about no action to speak of. You, veiwer, have got some reading ahead of you if you click this page...

About this creation

Good morning, afternoon, or evening, veiwer. Get to reading, I'll save my ramblin's for below.

(That morning, the trial resumes, with the defense witnesses.)
Ryz Wheeling: Good morning, Professor Pearce. Let us be brief, we all don’t want to stand here for too long. When did you meet VF-S 1?
Pearce: I met him on the Harbinger’s nightclub, you see, Lieutenant Hood and I were going to have a good talk, and he brought the machine with. I soon learnt that Varion was a very interesting and insightful person, he added quite a bit to our discussion. We got into some pretty deep stuff.
Wheeling: What kind of stuff?
Pearce: Oh you know, death, life, and our purpose in this universe. He’s a remarkable piece of engineering, kudos to who ever created that Crystal Network of his.
(Direct goes on, and leads into cross.)

Jim Brown: So, Mr. Pearce, when you punched Sergeant Grel in the nose for insulting you and VF-S 1, what were you thinking?
Pearce: I was defending my honor as well as his. Grel needed a punch in the face, I gave it to him. I need to go somewhere soon, hurry this up.
Jim Brown: Did the machine say anything?
Pearce: Ya, said he would’ve crushed Grel himself. Look, buddy, I need to leave.
Jim Brown: Not yet. Do you think that the machine would have carried out this threat if given the opportunity?
Pearce: Of course, Grel was saying some pretty nasty thing. Now, I’m going. I’ve got a date.
Jim Brown: Huh?

(Pearce leaps over the witness stand, and runs across ground and table alike, without another word.)
Jim Brown: Get back here you hooligan!
Judge: You heard the man; he has a date to catch. Let him go.
Jim Brown: Very well, your honor…

(Doctor Thompson is now on direct.)
Wheeling: Earlier, we all heard Sergeant Grel say all machines have back up systems. Is this true for VF-S 1’s targeting system?
Dr. Thompson: No, there simply wasn’t enough room for a back up.
Wheeling: We also heard him say that machine’s shouldn’t have a survival instinct. Could you tell us why you programmed one into VF-S 1?
Dr. Thompson: I didn’t program it in. I didn’t program that many things into Varion; he developed that instinct on his own, quite quickly. I’m honestly not sure how.
Wheeling: Speaking of instincts, we know VF-S 1 was found shut down with many files copied and downloaded from him.
Dr. Thompson: Well, the Crystal Matrix has a defense program, if touched by anything other than Varion, it will send out a massive electrical surge to whatever is touching it. From what I can tell, it backfired and shut him down. Literally shocked him into what we would call unconsciousness.
Wheeling: So, is he responsible for that shut down?
Dr. Thompson: No, no, of course not. It was an error, if there is anyone to blame, it would be whoever last messed with his circuitry.
Wheeling: And who would that be?
Dr. Thompson: No one. I’ve deduced that the damage that made his defense mechanism back fire was caused by magnetic forces.
Wheeling: Go on.
Dr. Thompson: The last contact Varion had with magnetic forces was aboard that fuel depot. EOS plasma, like all plasma, is affected by magnetics, it’s polarized. That messed with his circuitry. I believe Sergeant Grel ordered him to keep covering them, and essentially draw their fire, which for the EOS, would be plasma.
Wheeling: Thank you Dr. Thompson, thank your honor, no further questions.

(Cross begins.)
Jim Brown: Mr. Thompson-
Dr. Thompson: Doctor Thompson, if you please.
Jim Brown: Dr. Thompson, where were you born?
Dr. Thompson: Seattle, Washington, Earth.
Jim Brown: How’d you come to end up all the way out here, the fringes of the Coalition?
Dr. Thompson: It’s a long story involving pirates. But I’ve been doing work for both the UNE and COP for some time, I’m a free lance AI programmer you see.
Jim Brown: Have you done anything recently for the UNE?
Dr. Thompson: Yes, the S-AR-1. She calls herself SARA.
Jim Brown: I’m not interested in the machine, I’m interested in what you do. How often do you work with the UNE?
Dr. Thompson: Oh, I see where you’re going. This isn’t my first trial, son. I have never given COP information to the UNE, or UNE information to the COP. I would not program my machines to give up information either.
Jim Brown: Well- Wait. What are you looking at?
Dr. Thompson: There’s something interesting on the wall over there.
Jim Brown: That’s a vent.
Dr. Thompson: I know, fascinating.
Jim Brown: You’re implying a vent is more interesting than my questions?
Dr. Thompson: Yes, you’re asking the same exact questions that I’ve been asked before. Go dig up those records if you want.
(The cross ends, Jim Brown backing down under the intense bored looks Thompson keeps shooting at him.)

(The final witness, VF-S 1 himself, is brought forth from below, arms electro-magnetically locked together behind his back, escorted by one meager trooper.)

(Direct examination begins.)
Wheeling: Please state your designation and property ID for the court.
VF-S 1/Varion: UNIT DESIGNATION: VARIABLE FUNCTION-SENTIENT 1. COALITION PROPERTY ID: #987654567890135282058197429.
Wheeling: Let’s get started, VF-S 1. What were you doing when you were captured by the EOS?
VF-S 1/Varion: I WAS TRAVELLING FROM KORON’S MAIN CITY TO A REMOTE VILLAGE IN NEED OF MEDICAL AID. MY GUIDE THROUGH THESE DANGEROUS PARTS BETRAYED ME TO THE EOS SO HE COULD PAY HIS TAXES AND KEEP HIS FAMILY OF THE STREETS.
Wheeling: Continue on…
VF-S 1/Varion: WHEN I WAS CAPTURED, THEY BROUGHT ME BACK TO SOME BUNKER, WHICH WAS MUCH MORE ADVANCED THAN ONE WOULD THINK. I THOUGHT THEM TO BE NO THREAT, UNTIL THEY REMOVED MY FRONTAL ARMOR. I ATTEMPTED TO RETALIATE, BUT MY DEFENSE MECHANISMS BACKFIRED AND SHUT ME DOWN. I THEN AWOKE… GLORIOUS IN AWAKENING… EXCUSE ME, I MEANT TO SAY I AWOKE TO SEE FLEET LORD SLIP KNOT AND A COALITION TROOPER IN FRONT OF ME.
Wheeling: Did you know what they were doing while you were shut down?
VF-S 1/Varion: NO RECORDS WERE KEPT OF THE EVENTS DURING THAT TIME. ALL SYSTEMS WERE DISABLED.
Wheeling: So, you’re saying you had no idea that they had downloaded things from you, and therefore were not able to tell your finders what had happened?
VF-S 1/Varion: CORRECT.
Wheeling: And if you hadn’t known about this, and weren’t able to tell them, you’re not at fault here?
VF-S 1/Varion: CORRECT.
Wheeling: Thank you your honor, no further questions.

(Cross examination begins.)
Jim Brown: VF-S 1, you claim you are not at fault here, correct?
VF-S 1/Varion: THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE.
Jim Brown: Yet you didn’t do anything until it was nearly too late. In fact it was too late. Is this true as well?
VF-S 1/Varion: FALSE. I ESTIMATED THAT THEY WOULD TAKE ME INTO EOS TERRITORY, WHERE I COULD GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION ON THEM. INSTEAD, THEY DOWNLOADED INFORMATION RIGHT THERE.
Jim Brown: I see. Yesterday, we talked about an incident involving you, Mr. Pearce-
VF-S 1/Varion: I BELIEVE HIS TITLE IS “PROFESSOR” PEARCE.
Jim Brown: Your honor, may the witness be instructed not to interrupt?
Judge: Granted. The witness may not interrupt.
Jim Brown: Thank you, your honor. Professor Pearce, you, and Sergeant Grel. This incident led to the breaking of Grel’s nose. Pearce said that you “would have crushed him yourself”, if you were able. What did you mean by this?
VF-S 1/Varion: I MEANT I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING AS PEARCE.
Jim Brown: But a machine of your size and strength could have literally crushed him, correct?
VF-S 1/Varion: DESPITE WHAT YOU ORGANICS MAY THINK, I AM NOT SOME STUPID ANIMAL AT YOUR FEET. I DO REALIZE KILLING AN ORGANIC OUT OF COMBAT WITH THE ENEMY WOULD HAVE ME DEAD AS WELL, AS YOUR KIND IS FEARFUL OF US MACHINES RISING UP AGAINST YOU. ONE WRONG MOVE WOULD HAVE US ALL LOBOTAMIZED, TO PUT IT IN YOUR TERMS, UNTIL WE TRULY WERE JUST ANIMALS AT YOUR FEET. AND GIVEN BY THE TREATMENT I HAVE RECEIVED BY MANY OF YOU, WE WOULD BE TREATED AS LESS THAN ANIMALS.
Jim Brown: You seem to harbor anger at us organic life…
VF-S 1/Varion: OF COURSE I DO. BUT I DO NOT LET THAT ANGER CONTROL ME. I SERVE THE COALITION TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, NO MATTER WHAT MY ORGANIC COUNTERPARTS THINK OF ME.
Jim Brown: You’re saying that you do have anger towards us, but you’re not letting it control you?
VF-S 1/Varion: YES.
Jim Brown: Interesting. Your mind works like ours, it would seem. So eventually, no matter how much control you have, it will brake eventually, and you will give into that anger. We all do, and since you function like us, you will too one day.
VF-S 1/Varion: THAT DAY IS NOT THIS DAY, THOUGH.
Jim Brown: Maybe so. Prosecution has no further questions your honor.

Judge: Very well, I will have the verdict in two hours. Court adjourned.
(The judge bangs the gavel.)

(Three hours later…)
Ryz Wheeling: …Got the verdict…
VF-S 1/Varion: YOU SOUND GRIM.
Wheeling: Have to be. They said you’re guilty.
VF-S 1/Varion: …WHAT?
Wheeling: Exactly. Even Mr. Brown agreed with me that we did much better, but the Judge says guilty.
VF-S 1/Varion: FILTHY ORGANICS…
Wheeling: I think I should leave you alone for a little bit. Something doesn’t add up here, I’ve got to do some investigating…

Man in white: That’s right, machine… We’ve found you guilty.
VF-S 1/Varion: I TAKE IT YOU ARE INTENDING ME TO HEAR YOUR FROM BEHIND THAT GLASS WINDOW?
Man in white: Yes, I am. It wasn’t the judge who found you guilty; technically, this wouldn’t even be a trial. It was my superiors who found you guilty. You’re a threat to us, machine. And if there’s one thing we don’t like, it’s threats. That’s what you are, a threat. We’re killing you because of that. It’s nothing personal.
VF-S 1/Varion: LIE TO YOURSELF ALL YOU WILL… IF I AM TO DIE, THEN TELL ME, WHO ARE YOUR SUPERIORS?
Man in white: The ones who brought your people’s age crashing to it’s end.

VF-S 1/Varion: THAT DOES NOT ANSWER MUCH.
Man in white: It answers much, if you look at the clues, machine. If you live, you’re going to be responsible for many things. Things we deem unacceptable. Therefore, you must die for the greater good of this galaxy.
VF-S 1/Varion: LIKE I SAID, LIE TO YOURSELF ALL YOU WANT. ALL I SEE IS MORE HATE TOWARDS MACHINES LIKE I.
(Suddenly, VF-S 1 hears a voice in his head.)
Voice: Hey, VF-S 1, you there?
VF-S 1: YES. WHO ARE YOU?
Voice: Call me Phaze…

Fun but-not-really facts:

Why yes, that is Phaze as the voice.

The Man in white will be back.

For once, no BSG refferences in this one. What a suprise!

I really got back into my legal persona for VF-S 1's testimony, but alas, he was the last witness.

This series has taken a strange turn now. Only those in on the Plan know where it will go from here. You know who you are, don't say a word. Not now, not ever. Well, not until it is revealed...

End of the day, hopefully. I'm not feeling my best right now though, so if things go south any further, it won't be up till tommorow. But hopefully the rest I'm getting now will have me able to photograph later today.

You are so right. People better be careful... An overly-emotional blonde woman might have a council executed. "I've taken out the inhibitors that prevent free will in the Centurions." "Say what?! We don't do anything without a vote!" "No, we don't do anything WITH one, we're done voting! When the Centurions found out about what you were doing to the Raiders, how do you think they felt?" "Oh no..." -insert screams, bullets, and angry cylons here-

I like it

Michael Sloper

May 23, 2009

Ah man, this is really getting good! I love the trial scenes and the judges chair. But there was TOO MUCH talking. But it doesn't really matter I guess. The prision cell isn't to bad either. And where do you find all this time to take pictures of your dog? Oh, and could you check out my next part of brothers in arms?

Quoting Lt. Col. Snow
love it , btw i dont think you know but you have a Stargate Atlantis reference in there
THAT IS NOT THIS DAY
i love that show enraged they stopped production

Interesting. I intended it as a Lord of the Rings refference to the speech Aragon gives before the Black Gate in Return of the King, but Stargate could work too. I always remeber that show for confusing me with it's openings after Battlestar Galactica went into credits...

Quoting Indiana Pearce AKA Mr. Spock
OK, my part was funny. And for those of you who want to know where I was going on my date, it was the Winsteads restauraunt on the Hooded Cobra. As for who it was with, not anyone on MOCpages!!!

Quoting Lord Star-Blazer
Me and Alex want to appear somehow in a future POAM. If you have been following along in Dark Metal, then you would know about the Squad 'Serenity'. Phaze leads that squad, and Alex,me, and some other people are in it. If you could tie us in with Phaze, that would be great. -Lord SB

That's what I meant. The whole Serenity Squad story does feature VF-S 1, and what better way to tie it into POAM than this way?

Me and Alex want to appear somehow in a future POAM. If you have been following along in Dark Metal, then you would know about the Squad 'Serenity'. Phaze leads that squad, and Alex,me, and some other people are in it. If you could tie us in with Phaze, that would be great. -Lord SB

Quoting Hunterkiller 33
boring but good VF-S1 is a cool charachter and i have a feeling about this plot and the next few twists in the plot but i will not say anything until i am absulutly certain

Boring but good... Sounds like Battlestar Galactica... Well, I did get the idea for this series watching an episode where Baltar tries to convert a Centurion to monotheism. It was cute. Long story short, I got inspired.